2023 Fulbright Specialist Program Open Call for Project Proposals
DEADLINE: April 24, 2023
This is a joint program of the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Kosovo.
The United States-Kosovo Educational Exchange Board (USKEB) invites Kosovan host institutions to submit project proposals for Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP), which allows the host to bring qualified U.S. scholars and professionals to Kosovo for two to six weeks to compete a defined project. Applications must be submitted via the World Learning portal by April 24, 2023. Projects should have a start date of no earlier than October 1, 2023 and must be completed by September 30, 2024. The FSP in Kosovo can offer up to ten (10) Fulbright Specialist grants per calendar year.
The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP) provides highly qualified U.S. academics and U.S. professionals, whose credentials and experience are at the faculty or full professional level, with an opportunity to share their expertise by carrying out projects requested by Kosovan host institutions. Specialists are frequently academics; however, professionals such as attorneys, journalists, scientists, economists, security experts, and experts in eligible fields (business, communications, public health, and public administration) often take part in the program as well. Fulbright Specialist projects must be carried out in-person.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Fulbright Specialists exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities both in the United States and in Kosovo. The FSP promotes long-term collaboration between U.S. and Kosovan institutions through projects that align with U.S. Department of State goals and the priorities of host institutions. This Fulbright opportunity offers an on-demand, short-term exchange resource open to a wide variety of fields that responds directly to the needs of host institutions and host countries. Fulbright Specialist projects must be carried out in-person (not virtually), with no exceptions.
The Fulbright Specialist Program is a part of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program and is a joint program of the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Kosovo.
Project Timeframe: The length of a Fulbright Specialist project must fall within a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 42 days, including travel days from the United States and weekends. Note: The Project Start Date is the date of departure from the United States and the Project End Date is the date of departure from Kosovo. The project work should begin one day after the Specialist’s arrival in Kosovo, however, depending on flights, it may take more than one day for the Specialist to arrive in country. Please be sure this is accounted for in the calculated length of the project.
The USKEB will give preference to FSP projects with a maximum program length of 42 days. The stay in Kosovo should be uninterrupted; it cannot be split up into several periods. A Fulbright Specialist grant should include opportunities to collaborate with professional counterparts on faculty development, institutional planning, and a variety of other activities.
Eligible Project Activities: The Fulbright Specialist Program encourages host institutions to tailor projects to meet their own needs. In FSP project proposals, hosts can invite U.S. academics and professionals to apply their knowledge and expertise to activities designed by a host university, local nonprofit, government office, or other eligible host institution. Project activities may include, but are not limited to, teaching or training; delivering workshops; compiling strategic plans; developing curricula or teaching/educational materials; institutional planning; consultancy on specific projects; building capacity of staff; delivering seminars or academic courses; data analytics and research; and conducting needs assessments for programs or institutions. For FY2023, while projects will be reviewed in any of the FSP’s 24 eligible disciplines, it is encouraged to submit projects in the following priority areas: Climate Change; Cyber Security and IT; Disaster Response; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA); Entrepreneurship; Media Literacy/Countering Disinformation; Public Administration; Public/Global Health (including Mental Health), and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). As additional priority fields emerge during the year, additional funding may be available for projects in those areas.
Implementing Partner: World Learning is the cooperating organization that will implement the FY2023 FSP. World Learning maintains a web-based portal for project submission, review, and implementation: https://worldlearning-community.force.com/FSPHost/. It also manages a public FSP website, which provides information for host institutions and U.S. Specialist applicants, and includes the history of the program, an overview of FSP application and selection processes, and blogs of program highlights: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/
Eligible Host Institutions and Fields: Eligible foreign host institutions include, but are not limited to:
- reputable academic institutions (universities, colleges, research institutions, vocational/technical educational institutions).
- government institutions (ministries).
- cultural institutions (museums, libraries, conservatories, theaters).
- non-governmental organizations (NGOs, think tanks), and
- public health-related institutions (public health organizations, teaching hospitals).
Eligible fields include, but are not limited to: Agriculture, American (U.S.) Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Biology Education, Business Administration, Chemistry Education, Communication and Journalism, Economics, Education, Engineering Education, Environmental Science, Computer Science and Information Technology, Law, Library Science, Mathematics Education, Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies, Physics Education, Political Science, Public Administration, Public/Global Health, Social Work, Sociology, and Urban Planning.
- New for FY2023: This year, in addition to the above, we are soliciting projects that are focused on providing mental health resources or training for students, educators, administrators, and others. Additionally, we welcome projects that support host institutions’ objectives that further DEIA in policies, activities, and/or workforce development.
Ineligible Institutions, Fields, and Activities: U.S. or U.S.-based institutions, as well as for-profit companies and organizations, such as businesses and corporations, are ineligible to host Fulbright Specialists. Specialists also may not carry out personal research projects; they must carry out projects conceptualized and proposed by host institutions and approved by the United States-Kosovo Educational Exchange Board (USKEB) and ECA. Clinical medical research or projects involving patient contact are ineligible under the Fulbright Specialist Program policy.
Host Institutions: Local universities, government ministries, NGOs, think tanks, or other not-for-profit institutions that host Specialists are requested to:
- Develop a project that fits the parameters of the FSP, following Kosovo specific criteria and competition requirements.
- Provide a cost share covering in-country expenses for the Specialist, including lodging, meals, and in-country transportation, either through monetary or in-kind contributions, throughout the Specialist’s full stay in Kosovo. The meal stipend must be at least $35/day.
- Provide safe, secure, and comfortable housing for the Specialist. Typical accommodations are hotels, university housing, and if organized in consultation with the Specialist and approved by them, approved homestays with host institution staff or faculty.
- Organize and provide funding or in-kind assistance for pick-up/drop-off at the airport.
- Provide funding or in-kind assistance for all meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Typical options include stipends to provide opportunities for Specialists to go to local cafes or shop for groceries, use university cafeterias, or eat meals with host families, etc. The funding must be calculated in U.S. dollars.
- Notify the U.S. Embassy in Pristina and American Councils Kosova of any problems or concerns while the Specialist is carrying out his or her project.
- Complete the final report survey.
- Report to the U.S. Embassy regarding a project’s impact and media coverage.
General Specialist Eligibility Requirements
- All applicants for the Fulbright Specialist position must be U.S. citizens. Non-U.S. citizens who have legal permanent residency status in the United States are not eligible for Fulbright grants.
- Applicants must have significant experience in their respective field, as demonstrated by professional, academic, or artistic achievements.
- Applicants must be able to travel overseas for 14 to 42 days (length varies depending on project).
- At the time of application or at any subsequent time prior to or after becoming a grantee, Fulbright Specialists applicants are required to disclose any prior arrests, indictments, charges, or convictions of a felony or a misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations, juvenile convictions, or cases where the record has been sealed or expunged).
- At the time of application or at any subsequent time prior to or after becoming a grantee, applicants are required to disclose if they have been subject to any disciplinary action, resigned from a professional appointment, or entered a settlement for, or in connection with, any misconduct, including but not limited to unethical practices, harassment, sexual harassment, or abuse.
Full eligibility information and requirements are available at: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/eligibility-specialists/.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE & DEADLINES
Kosovo institutions interested in hosting a Fulbright Specialist in calendar year 2023 will need to apply directly to World Learning via the online project portal by April 24, 2023. Prospective host institutions will need to register on the website and obtain a username in order to complete the application via the World Learning portal. Host institutions may email Fulbrightspecialist@worldlearning.org for assistance with the project portal and application procedures, or for program materials.
World Learning administers the Fulbright Specialist Program in the United States, including recruitment of the U.S. Fulbright Specialists and preparation for travel to Kosovo. American Councils Kosova administers the program in Kosovo after the U.S. Fulbright Specialists have arrived in-country. The Fulbright Specialist Program is one of several programs, directed by the United States-Kosovo Educational Exchange Board (USKEB), is a non-legal advisory board, jointly funded by the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Kosovo for the purpose of increasing mutual understanding and advancing relations between the people of the United States and Kosovo through educational exchange programming.
Finding a Specialist for a Project: Specialists can be matched with projects through an open process, or a preferred Specialist may be pre-identified (i.e., ‘named’) by the host institution. In order to be eligible to carry out an FSP project, Specialist candidates must first be admitted to the Fulbright Specialist roster. Admission to the roster is based on favorable review by a U.S-based peer review committee – an independent panel of scholars and professionals, which reviews applications approximately six times per year. Following approval by the peer review committee, individuals are placed on the roster, which makes them eligible to be matched with Specialist projects. Final approval of candidates’ eligibility to receive an FSP grant is made by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB), following the matching of a candidate with a specific project. Full eligibility information and requirements are available at: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/eligibility-specialists/.
- Open Requests (preferred method): Under this method, the host institution does not identify a specific individual to serve as the Specialist. Rather, after the proposed project is approved, World Learning reviews the Fulbright Specialist roster to identify candidates with the required experience to successfully implement the host institution’s project. World Learning then shares the candidate’s resumes with the USKEB, who then works with the host institution to choose the best candidate and confirm that the recommended candidate has the requisite skills needed to carry out the project. If it is not possible to identify an individual from the current roster, World Learning will conduct targeted off-roster recruitment for the project.
Note: Please allow additional time for the recruitment. Flexible project dates are recommended, if possible, to allow enough time to conduct the matching process.
- Named Roster Requests: Under this method, prior to submitting a project, the host institution, uses the Fulbright Specialist Portal to review the roster to identify a specialist candidate to carry out the project. The host institution and the Specialist candidate may be in contact and collaborate on project development, including activities, and should agree on potential project dates prior to the project submission. In these cases, it is still the host institution that should lead the project development and submission. If the named individual is unable to carry out the project (for example, not available or ineligible due to the recent completion of another Specialist project), World Learning will identify alternative candidates to conduct the project.
- Named Recruitment Requests: The host institution may identify in its project proposal a preferred individual to serve as the Fulbright Specialist, who is not currently on the Fulbright Specialist Roster. In this case, the individual must successfully complete the full process (application and peer review) to join the roster. If the individual is not found to be qualified to join the roster, World Learning will identify alternative candidates to conduct the project.
- Matching Considerations: Because every local context is unique, and also because candidates may have been approved for the roster up to two or three years earlier, it is essential that the host carefully review the qualifications of Specialist candidates to ensure that they have the skills to carry out the project and to represent the United States as a Fulbright Specialist in the specific context and current local environment associated with the project.
For additional information, please visit the Fulbright Specialist website at: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/
KOSOVO CONTACT INFORMATION
Prospective Kosovan host institutions should direct questions to:
Nora Nimani-Musa
Program Coordinator
American Councils Kosova
E-mail: nmusa@americancouncils.org
